Officials move to ban common recreational item over disturbing health concerns: 'Stop it at the source'

New Hampshire lawmakers banned ski, board, and boat waxes containing harmful perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

The New Hampshire Bulletin reported on the state's mission to outlaw these synthetic chemicals in waxes the day before the bill went to the House. House Bill 167 was passed on March 26, making all PFAS-laden waxes illegal to sell in New Hampshire. Many cosmetics, food packaging, and feminine hygiene products containing PFAS are already banned. Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont have enacted similar bans.

The waxes increase performance and slickness to glide better over snow or water. However, these "forever chemicals" contaminate New Hampshire's snowscapes and water.

PFAS were detected in five of NH's bodies of water in 2021, including Beaver Lake, Canobie Lake, and Horseshoe Pond. Considering Canobie Lake is a drinking water reservoir for Salem, this is especially alarming.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the chemicals accumulate in aquatic creatures and cause health problems. Humans are at risk when they consume contaminated water, fish, crustaceans, and other affected animals.

Exposure to PFAS can cause serious health issues, including decreased fertility, increased cancer risk, reduced immune responses, hormone imbalances, and high cholesterol. Research also shows PFAS hinder development in fetuses and children, causing low birth weights, accelerated puberty, bone variations, and behavioral changes.

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The very slow breakdown of PFAS accelerates climate change. They create greenhouse gases, disrupt the ocean's carbon cycle, and harm delicate ecosystems. This ban helps make the planet cooler and cleaner.

The ban could harm small businesses that rely on income from these pricey waxes, while some recreationalists are disappointed they will be unavailable. But research from Boston University shows that these are the people most at risk of exposure. Many in the community are open to alternatives.

Brands like mountainFLOW, Board Budder, Demon United, and ZumWax offer PFAS-free wax alternatives. These include hydrocarbon-based, biodegradable, and plant-based waxes. While the community may experience a tricky transition, most are not critical of the ban.

One Reddit post even shamed a business for selling wax containing PFAS. The poster said it was a "bad look."

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Rep. Wendy Thomas, a Merrimack Democrat who championed the bill, said, "The best way to protect ourselves from PFAS exposure is to stop it at the source." And that's what this bill accomplished. The "Live Free or Die" state will now live PFAS-free.

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